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712 — Abū Muhammad al-Ammī narrated to me, from Alī ibn Muhammad al-Qurashī, from an elder of Ghatafān, who said: They discussed silence and speech. Some said, “Silence is better.” Al-Ahnaf replied, “Speech is better, for the benefit of silence extends no further than the one who remains silent, whereas good speech benefits whoever hears it.”
٧١٢ - حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَمِّيُّ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقُرَشِيِّ، عَنْ شَيْخٍ، مِنْ غَطَفَانَ قَالَ: تَذَاكَرُوا الصَّمْتَ وَالْمَنْطِقَ فَقَالَ قَوْمٌ: الصَّمْتُ أَفْضَلُ، فَقَالَ الْأَحْنَفُ: «الْمَنْطِقُ أَفْضَلُ؛ لِأَنَّ فَضْلَ الصَّمْتِ لَا يَعْدُو صَاحِبَهُ، وَالْمَنْطِقُ الْحَسَنُ يَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ مَنْ سَمِعَهُ»